Producing the goods with his golf putter has been the constant thorn in the side of Ernie Els in recent years, but he took great strides to putting this right with victory in the WGC-CA Championship.
The
Callaway X Prototype golf irons user had not won an event since landing the 2008 Honda Classic, but ended this barren spell with a four-shot triumph over fellow South African Charl Schwartzel in Doral, Florida.
However, it was not always so comfortable for the 40-year-old, with the pivotal moment coming on the 14th hole.
After a wayward drive and tough approach shots, Els was left with a 25-foot putt for par to maintain his one-stroke advantage.
He duly sunk the putt and finished with a bogey-free, six-under-par 66, which left him on 18-under-par for the tournament and handed him a 16th career PGA Tour title.
Els said: "I haven't been making those kind of putts and you have to make putts like that to win golf tournaments at some point in the tournament.
"This means so much. I didn't think it was ever going to happen again. The hairs are standing up. It's just great."
Els will now be looking to carry this form into the Masters next month, where he will hope to go one better than the runner-up finishes he achieved in the major in 2000 and 2004.
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